Safety-support for overhead electrical conductors



(No Model.)

A.D.PooLB. SAFETYv SUPPORT POR OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL GONDUGTORS.

Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

UNirED STATES FT'ENT firmen.

ALEXANDER D. POOLE, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY-SUPPORT FOR OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,715, dated April16, 1895.

Application inea 'August 13, 1894.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER D. POOLE, of Boston, in the county ofSuoll; and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Safety-Supports for Overhead Electrical Conductors, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in safety supportsfor overheadelectrical conductors in which an overhead wire or cond uctor forms onepart of the circuit, the other part of the circuit being the ground oran underground wire, as is common in electrical railways.

My invention has for its object, among other things, to provide a moresimple mechanism than is now employed, whereby when the overhead wire orconductor is broken, the circuit may be instantaneously cut off from thebroken portion of the wire which hangs down in order to preventaccidents.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts, which will be fully hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out.

In the claim reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and thecharacters marked thereon, which form part of this speciiication,lilrecharacters designating like parts or features as the case maybe,wherever they occur.

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of my improved device. Fig.2 is a similar view with one side of the'plate removed. Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, showing one of' the arms in the position it wouldoccupy when the connecting wire is broken. Fig. 4 is an end view of thesupport. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l. Figs. 6, 7, 8and 9, are detailed views.

In the drawings a o, represent two plates of conducting material of thegeneral form shown in the drawings, one of said plates being providedwith a stud or bearing, a4, which projects into an opening formedtherefor in the other plate. a is a bar of conducting material securedbetween these plates by bolts or rivets 0.10. This bar is provided atits upper end with an aperture @12 in which the usual cap is secured,for holding up the Wire and support. This bar is provided at itslower'end with an enlargement a5, as shown.

Serial N0: 5201143. (No model.)

a2 represents two pieces of conducting material secured between the endsof the plate, the inner side of such pieces being recessed in a circularform. insulating material secured between these plates and between thebar d' and the studs o4.

b b represent two arms of conducting material to the ends of which theconducting wire is attached, on which the trolley rolls. The other endsof these arms when in positionare situated closely to the enlargementa5, so that enlargement a5 forms practically a continuation of the twoarms. These arms are providedl with a circular web c, having an aperturec4 and a reduced portion c. b is a raised part or web of the arm t)connecting the web and arm and arranged to forni contact with the piecesc2 at the lower end r thereof. Since these arms are practicallyduplicates of each other, a description of one will suffice for both.

, b3 is a projection on the inner ends of the arms, arranged to come incontact with the insulating blocks a3. The insulating sleeve d ismounted upon the studs d4 having formed integrally therewith a disk d,the parts d. and d being formed ot insulating material.

e represents a ring or disk of insulating material having formed on aportion of its outer edge circular flange c', arranged to t over thedepressed portion c of the web c. In assembling the parts, the sleeves dand disk d are slid upon the studs a4. The arms b are then placed in theposition shown in the drawings, the aperture in the web of the armfitting over the sleeves d. The disk or ring e is then placed upon theweb c, the ange c fitting over the reduced portion c of said web.

From this form, construction and arrangement, it will be seen thatthearms b are insulated from the frame or plates and from each other,except when the raised portion or web b of said arm is in contact withthelower end r of the pieces a2. This position of the arms is the normalposition when the wires are intact and the circuit closed. Should,however, the Wire attached to either of the arms b become broken, thearm b to which suc-h broken Wire is attached, will drop by gravity andswing upon pivot or stud afl, the projection b3 of said arm coming incontact with the insulating block a3, and the web b' leaving the pieceo2, thus breaking-the circuit,

as represents blocks of i IOD and rendering the wire attached to saidarm safe to handle and free from danger by con-v tact.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an exceedinglysimple and efeient form of safety support, one in which from the smallnumber and simplicity of the parts is not liable to get out of order,and which is efcient and certain in operation.

In places where there are curves this frame may be bent if desired, toconform tothe curvature of the line.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described the wayof constructing and using the same, though without attemptingto setforth all the forms in which it may be made or all the modes of its use,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A safety support for electrical circuits, com

prising a frame of conducting material, two studs mounted upon the endsof said frame, an insulating sleeve and disks on said studs, arms ofconducting material mounted upon said sleeves and between said disks,insulating blocks between said studs in the path of a projection b3 onsaid arms, and a raised portion or web b on said arms arranged to fornlcontact with the outer end of said frames substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 3d day of Au gust, A. D.1894.

ALEXANDER D. POOLE.

